Beyond the Market: How Responsible Collecting Is Redefining Art, Legacy, and Culture
- Gen de Art
- 12 hours ago
- 4 min read
An interview with Carola Wiese, Art Advisory, for Gen de Art in collaboration with UBS
Collecting as Identity, Not Speculation
For today’s collectors, art is no longer defined by market cycles alone. It has become a deeply personal expression of identity, values, and cultural continuity.
“Collectors’ motivations today are deeply personal and intergenerational, being tied to identity, values, and cultural continuity, not just market speculation,” explains Carola Wiese.
Drawing on recent global research, she highlights how inheritance and legacy are reshaping collecting practices.“Almost 90% of Gen Z collectors who inherited works have chosen to keep them, and 80% plan to pass their collections on to family.”
What is particularly striking is how inherited collections are no longer seen as static.“Most collectors who inherit collections not only want to keep them but also to enhance them by adding contemporary voices,” Wiese notes — transforming family collections into living cultural projects.
Passion, Strategy and the Art of Long-Term Vision
For Wiese, passion remains the foundation of any serious collection.
“Passion is the starting point of any collection, as it is what prompts engagement with art in the first place.”
Yet passion alone is no longer enough. Advisory today focuses on helping families frame collecting within a broader cultural and social vision.
“Strategic planning should amplify cultural significance rather than eclipse the joy of collecting, allowing a collection to live as both a personal and family legacy throughout different generations.”
This long-term view increasingly connects collecting with public impact.
“The collection is no longer ‘just’ a family project. From research to educational initiatives and dedicated artist projects, there are endless possibilities,” Wiese explains, emphasizing how philanthropy and public engagement are becoming integral parts of responsible collecting.
Legacy, Succession and the ‘Elephant in the Room’
Despite growing professionalism in collection management, succession remains one of the most sensitive challenges.
“One issue is the lack of early planning around documentation, cataloguing and governance, which can complicate later transitions,” says Wiese.
But the most difficult question is often emotional rather than administrative.
“The real elephant in the room is when the next generation cannot identify with the collection and has little or no interest in keeping it within the family.”
In such situations, Wiese stresses the importance of open dialogue and flexibility.“Partial sales, full sales or donations can all be options — and sometimes it makes sense to define a core collection that will remain with the family in any case.”
Above all, she insists on patience.
“Each collector is only a temporary custodian of a collection. It is essential to maintain a long-term outlook and avoid hasty decisions.”
Responsible Collecting and the Social Role of Art
For Wiese, art must be understood first and foremost as cultural heritage.
“Art should be understood as cultural heritage first — a medium that embodies personal, familial and societal narratives.”
At the same time, collectors today recognise that collections carry wider responsibilities.
“Collectors are increasingly engaging through museum loans and educational programmes, contributing to cultural access and public discourse,” she says.
Responsible collecting also extends to environmental and ethical considerations.
“If an artwork does not need to be shipped immediately, collectors can consider sea shipping instead of air freight — the ‘snail’ shipping is often the more responsible way.”
Equally important is fair treatment of artists in the secondary market.
“Responsible collecting also means embracing artists’ resale rights. They are the source of the joy of collecting, and it should be normal that they earn their share in case of resale.”
From Wiese’s advisory experience, a collector’s cultural background remains one of the strongest shaping forces.
“Collecting becomes a form of ‘visual archaeology’, tied to one’s background, memories and aesthetic identity,” she reflects.
“The emotional value a work carries is what gives it true meaning and weight in a collection, sometimes more than its financial attributes.”
In Asia, she observes a distinctive shift driven by generational change and international exposure.
“Collectors who have lived abroad tend to adopt more cross-cultural frameworks, while also rediscovering local traditions such as ink, calligraphy and craft.”
Digital and new media, meanwhile, are entering a more mature phase.
“Collectors are becoming more selective and less speculative. Digital art is now often acquired as part of a broader collecting strategy, alongside painting and sculpture.”
With bold new display approaches, collectors are reshaping how art is experienced at home.
“Many collectors become their own taste makers, integrating digital works next to classical paintings.”
Lasting Cultural Value Beyond Trends
What ultimately distinguishes a meaningful collection is coherence — not accumulation.
“A coherent collection is defined by conceptual alignment, emotional continuity and cultural inquiry,” Wiese explains.
She encourages collectors to build narratives across generations, regions and artistic languages, creating collections that move fluidly between timelines.
When it comes to lasting cultural significance, her criteria are clear.
“Works with long-term relevance demonstrate conceptual depth and sustained inquiry, rather than short-term responsiveness to market trends.”
Institutional dialogue plays a crucial role in this process.
“Cultural significance is reinforced through museums, biennales and archives, and through cross-cultural dialogue.”
In Wiese’s words, true value is ultimately tested over time.
“If a work still looks fresh and thematically relevant after decades — and can be shown next to a very young piece — it stands the test of time.”
